The trade deadline is less than a week away and a name the Boston Celtics have been investigating closely is San Antonio Spurs center Jakob Poeltl.
Poeltl is averaging 12 points and 9.1 rebounds while playing just 26 minutes for a bad Spurs team that will be in the mix for the top pick in the draft this offseason. He’ll also be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, which may give the Spurs a little extra incentive to deal him if they feel that he’ll walk this offseason.
Poeltl was pitched as a target for the Celtics by Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe, who cited that the Spurs have been a willing trade partner with Boston recently.
“The asking price could be hefty for a player who might not even be part of the Celtics’ long-term future, though, as Poeltl will become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, and Horford and Williams are both on multi-year contracts,” Himmelsbach wrote.
“Stevens and Spurs coach/president Gregg Popovich have made their mutual admiration clear, and they have been willing trade partners over the past year. The Spurs traded White to the Celtics last February, and Boston sent Noah Vonleh to San Antonio in a cash-saving move in December.”
Celtics Have Been Linked to Poeltl This Season
The Celtics are in the market for a big man, knowing that there are potential pitfalls if they rely on Robert Williams III and Al Horford for a deep playoff run. Boston has carefully managed both their minutes due to Williams’ injury history and Horford’s age (36).
“The defending Eastern Conference champs are seeking to add injury insurance behind Robert Williams III and Al Horford, two players they have to carefully manage during the regular season,” Chris Haynes of Turner Sports reported in January. “If the Celtics don’t acquire a big before the trade deadline, they’ll turn their attention to the buyout market.”
The Celtics’ admiration of Poeltl has also been well-documented this season, with Shams Charania of The Athletic reporting that Boston — along with Toronto — have expressed “significant interest” in the Spurs big man.
Spurs’ Asking Price for Poeltl is Steep
While the idea of adding Poeltl to a championship-caliber roster is nice, it might be a tough deal for the Celtics to swing. The Spurs reported asking price for Poeltl is a pair of first-round picks, per The Athletic, which would be hard for Boston to give up for a player they’re uncertain to retain beyond this season.
On top of that, when fully healthy, the Celtics may not be able to promise Poeltl a starting role and that’s a heck of a haul for some injury insurance. Of course, the Spurs’ price may come down closer to the deadline if the market isn’t there, although the Celtics could opt instead to look to the buyout market or a lower-cost addition via trade.
Boston can hang their hat on having the best record in the Eastern Conference. That alone should give them a leg-up as they negotiate the buyout market with any capable veterans that become available.
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Celtics Urged to Tap Into ‘Willing Trade Partner’ to Land Big Man